From the Ferns
Home
Found an Injured Animal?
Living with Wildlife
Beautiful States
What Your Donations Mean
Success Stories
Invasive Species
Get To Know Us
From the Ferns
Home
Found an Injured Animal?
Living with Wildlife
Beautiful States
What Your Donations Mean
Success Stories
Invasive Species
Get To Know Us
More
  • Home
  • Found an Injured Animal?
  • Living with Wildlife
  • Beautiful States
  • What Your Donations Mean
  • Success Stories
  • Invasive Species
  • Get To Know Us
  • Home
  • Found an Injured Animal?
  • Living with Wildlife
  • Beautiful States
  • What Your Donations Mean
  • Success Stories
  • Invasive Species
  • Get To Know Us

New york state invasive species

insect species

Spotted Lanternfly

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

Spotted Lanternfly

  • A colorful planthopper with spotted forewings and red hindwings.
  • These destructive insects feed on over 70 plant species.  They are a major threat to New York State’s vineyards and orchards, as it excretes a honeydew like substance that promotes mold growth, killing the host plant.

Emerald Ash Borer

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

Spotted Lanternfly

  • A small, metallic-green beetle
  • Their larvae tunnel under the bark of ash trees, cutting off the flow of water and nutrients. They have killed millions of ash trees in New York, permanently alter forest diversity across the state.

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

Asian Longhorned Beetle

  • A tiny, aphid like insect identified by white, woolly sacs on the underside of hemlock branches.
  • They suck the sap from Eastern Hemlocks, killing the trees in 4-10 years.  Hemlocks are a ”keystone species” that provide critical shade and cover for cold water trout streams.

Asian Longhorned Beetle

Asian Longhorned Beetle

Asian Longhorned Beetle

Close-up of a black beetle with long antennae on a tree branch.

  • A large black beetle with white spots and very long antennae.
  • These beetles bore into any healthy hardwoods like maples and birches.  These beetles are a threat to all hardwood trees in New York, and are even a threat to a large part of our agriculture economy, threatening both fall tourism and the maple syrup industry.

Asian Jumping Worm

Asian Longhorned Beetle

Asian Jumping Worm

  • A highly active worm, that jump and thrash around whenever they are disturbed.
  • These worms are basically the opposite of normal earth worms.  They strip the soil of all nutrients so quickly that native plants and trees cannot survive or grow.

plant species

Giant Hogweed

Giant Hogweed

Giant Hogweed

  • A massive plant that can grow up to 14 feet tall with umbrella shaped white flowers.
  • This pant is a dual threat to New York State,  Its rapid growth to a large size crowds out many native plants on riverbanks.  Their sap when combined with sunlight can cause severe burns.

Hydrilla

Giant Hogweed

Giant Hogweed

  • An aquatic plant that grows in dense mats underwater, with small pointed green leaves.
  • These plants choke out native aquatic life.  They also are a risk at clogging boat engines, and make swimming difficult or even dangerous.  It is considered by many to be the worlds worst invasive aquatic plant.

Japanese Knotweed

Japanese Knotweed

Japanese Knotweed

  • A shrub like plant with hollow bamboo like stems.
  • They have an incredibly aggressive root system that damage house foundations and sidewalks.  The plant is nearly impossible to eradicate once it is established.

Phragmites

Japanese Knotweed

Japanese Knotweed

Phragmites, in the sunlight near a winding waterway.

  • A very tall wetlands grass with fluffy seed heads, sometimes growing up to 15 feet tall.
  • They dry out wetlands by absorbing immense amount of water, this traps sediment and destroys fish and bird habitats.

aquatic species

Northern Snakehead

Zebra and Quagga Mussels

Zebra and Quagga Mussels

A colorful planthopper with spotted forewings and red hindwings poses a significant threat to the nature beauty of New York's landscapes. These destructive insects feed on over 70 plant species, endangering the state's vineyards and orchards. As they excrete a honeydew-like substance, it promotes mold growth, ultimately harming the host plant. This highlights the importance of animal care and conservation efforts in wildlife rehabilitation to protect New York's agricultural resources.

Zebra and Quagga Mussels

Zebra and Quagga Mussels

Zebra and Quagga Mussels

A small, metallic-green beetle poses a significant threat to the natural beauty of New York's forests. Their larvae tunnel under the bark of ash trees, cutting off the flow of water and nutrients, which has led to the death of millions of ash trees. This ecological disaster not only affects the trees but also alters forest diversity across the state, highlighting the urgent need for wildlife rehabilitation and conservation efforts to protect these vital ecosystems.

DISCLAIMER: All photos on THIS PAGE were created with Google Gemini. We’re working hard to replace them with true photos of each species to showcase the nature beauty of wildlife in New York, highlighting the importance of animal care and conservation efforts in wildlife rehabilitation.

Copyright © 2026 From the Ferns - All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Powered by

This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

Accept